The term “negligence” is often something that is thrown around in personal injury claims. When someone fails to act in a manner that is considered to be reasonable, they can be held liable for the actions. While this is usually only prominent in civil cases, it is important to realize that this is something that can also be prominent in criminal cases.
Criminal negligence is a term that is used to determine guilty in conventional offenses. Legally speaking, it is defined as the actions of a defendant that are careless, inattentive, neglectful or even willfully blind. In some cases, the term “gross negligence” might be applied which would define reckless behavior on behalf of the accused defendant.
Since most criminal cases apply to purposeful design, negligence does not always play a part, however, there are instances where a crime might be committed by simple neglect. One example of this is in cases that involve vehicular manslaughter. Should a defendant be accused of a DUI and get involved in a car accident that fatally wounded someone, they would not have intentionally killed that person, however, it could be accused that the person died because they acted carelessly.
Similarly, a person might be accused through criminal negligence in cases that involved the endangerment of a child. In many cases, crimes that are committed through negligence are tried seriously, but not as fiercely as crimes that are carried out by design. This, however, is not a fast and steady rule and will largely depend on the details of each individual case.
If you have been criminally charged in a case involving criminal negligence, it is highly encouraged that you get the involvement of a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer that you can trust. Contact Okabe and Haushalter as soon as possible and learn more about how we can help you. With years of experience and a track record of success, you can trust that we will go the distance in our efforts to protect you.
